Statutory inquiry into Lucy Letby ‘on the table’, government minister admits

Ms Keegan said there are ‘pros and cons’ of statutory versus non-statutory inquiries but families of victims can discuss those with the inquiry’s chair

Tuesday 22 August 2023 04:47 EDT

Rishi Sunak calls Lucy Letby 'cowardly' for refusing to attend sentencing

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A statutory inquiry into serial killer nurse Lucy Letby’s crimes is “on the table”, a government minister has said.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan gave the strongest hint yet that the government may strengthen the inquiry, following mounting calls for it to be given legal powers that would compel people to give evidence to uncover possible NHS failings.

Letby, 33, was on Monday given a whole life sentence for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of six others between June 2015 and June 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital where she worked.

Senior doctors have raised concerns that NHS bosses ignored complaints about Letby and one manager, Alison Kelly, who was the chief nurse at the hospital at the time of Letby crimes has now been suspended from Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust in Salford where she now works. Ms Kelly has said she will cooperate with the independent inquiry.

Ms Keegan said there were “pros and cons” of statutory versus non-statutory inquiries but she said the families of Letby’s victims will be able to discuss those with the inquiry’s head when the chair is announced.

The admission comes after days of ministers defending the non-statutory basis of the probe, despite a growing chorus of voices calling for it to be upgraded.

Non-statutory inquiries lack the power to force witnesses to produce evidence or give testimony under oath that statutory ones have.

Critics of the probe’s current set-up fear it will be left to “rely on the goodwill” of those involved, rather than being able to compel them to participate.

The grieving families of Letby’s victims have called for the inquiry to be put on a statutory footing, and are joined by former justice secretaries Jack Straw, Lord Falconer and Sir David Lidington.

Lucy Letby has begun her whole-life prison sentence (Cheshire Constabulary) (PA Media)

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has also said a statutory inquiry is the only way to get the “fullest, proper, comprehensive” understanding of what went wrong.

Downing Street on Monday said “all options are on the table”, suggesting ministers are considering upgrading the powers of the inquiry.

And on Tuesday, asked explicitly about a statutory inquiry, Ms Keegan told Times Radio a statutory probe was “on the table”.

It comes as Sir Robert Francis KC, who chaired the inquiry into serious care failings at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, said that the families of Letby’s victims should decide how the inquiry functions.

He told Times Radio: “A chair should be appointed to consult with the interested parties, to consult with the tragic families that have been involved in this, to find out what they want, and you may find there’s not one united voice about this.